In the apparel industry, significant effort has been expended toward developing undergarments that provide a slimming and smoothing of the abdomen, buttocks, hips, and thighs. Many different approaches have been taken toward this end. Women sometimes wear regular pantyhose to get a slimming and smoothing effect, but pantyhose have drawbacks. For instance, pantyhose are readily visible when worn with skirts or open-toe shoes, which is undesirable if the wearer wants the bare-leg look. Pantyhose also can be uncomfortable during warm or hot weather because they completely cover the legs.
Short body-smoothing undergarments having legs that end above the knee have been developed to try to overcome the above problems. Many undergarments of this type have an elastic band at the bottom of each leg. The leg band provides a finished appearance to the fabric edge and prevents raveling, and also constricts against the wearer's leg to hold the leg of the garment in place so that it doesn't ride up during use. Such leg bands can be uncomfortable because they can dig into the wearer's legs, and can leave unsightly marks on the legs that may persist for some time after removal of the garment. The short body-smoothing undergarments generally also include an elastic cord sewn into the waistband, which can also dig in and create marks. Such leg bands and waistbands can also be readily visible beneath clothing because of their tightness against the body, which can create a bulge at the transition between the band and the uncovered part of the leg or waist.
Another drawback with some known body-smoothing undergarments is that they are designed to be worn in addition to panties, or are made in such a way that many women are reluctant to wear them without panties. This can partially defeat the purpose of the undergarment because the panties may create visible panty lines beneath the wearer's clothing.
Some panty-like body-shaping undergarments employ a gusset that is entirely or predominately synthetic such as nylon or polyester so as to save on the cost of the garment. Such gussets in many cases do not have adequate moisture-absorbency and breathability, and hence can lead to discomfort and unhealthy conditions.